Good Samaritan Pulls Reserve Officer from Burning Car

A reserve police officer in Braham, Minn., is recovering after a good Samaritan helped rescue him from a burning car Wednesday night, WDIO sister station KSTP reports.

According to Braham Police Chief Robert Knowles, Reserve Officer Paul Dial’s squad car was broad sided by an SUV that reportedly ran a stop sign. It happened around 9 p.m. Wednesday near South Main Street and Eighth Street Southwest in the city of Braham.

Knowles says the SUV hit the squad car near the driver's-side door, which caused the car to burst into flames. Dial remained conscious and was partially out of the engulfed car when a neighbor who had heard the crash came to the scene and helped pull him out, Knowles said.

Both Dial and the driver of the SUV were hospitalized but have since been released. Knowles said both the squad car and the SUV were totaled.

This time last year the Apostle Islands Ice Cave season was about to wrap up, but this year, it's just getting started, and the shorter season had crowds flocking to the attraction for its opening weekend. Just days ago, park officials gave the okay for the ice caves to open up to the nearly 11,000 visitors who came over the weekend.